(CNN) – Seamus, the now infamous Romney family dog from the 1980s, was again in the spotlight on Tuesday, off-handedly referenced by President Obama on the campaign trail and the subject of a soon-to-be released punk rock song.

Devo, the punk rock band famous for it's hit "Whip It ," will release a song later this month titled, "Don't Roof Rack Me, Bro (Remember Seamus)."

Mitt Romney told the story of strapping Seamus' kennel–with Seamus inside–to the roof of a station wagon for a family road trip from Massachusetts to Ontario in the 1980s. The car packed with Romney and his wife, Ann, and their five boys had no room for the dog who Romney said actually enjoyed the ride on the roof. Critics and animal rights activists soon ran with the story.

Tuesday, President Obama invoked his opponent's pooch's wind-swept ride while campaigning in the battleground state of Iowa and referencing a speech Romney gave a few months ago.

Obama said, "That's what he said about wind power: 'You can't drive a car with a windmill on it.' I don't know if he's actually tried that. I know he's had other things on his car."

The large crowd laughed, apparently picking up on the jab.

Devo founder and commercial director, Gerald V. Casale, is a major proponent of the late Seamus, even starting a 'Remember Seamus campaign' aimed to "go off leash by choosing a non-human as the most important political figure of this election. Make 2012 the year where animals like Seamus are valued and honestly praised," according to the campaign's website.

Recently, a series of parody songs hitting both sides of the political aisle have gone viral on the internet as the campaign season gets into full swing. The latest, "Romney Girl" harps on a certain presumptive GOP nominee for his wealth while a recast of the chart-topping hit "Somebody That I Used To Know," points to what it calls a disappointing first term for Obama as president.

soundoff(206 Responses)

@ Dems Need to Grow a Pair.....Amen! Whoever this person is,(Sniffit) (he/she) is so absorbed in this CNN blogging site that I think its mostly " chest-puffing" It is boring after a while. Thankyou.

August 15, 2012 04:18 pm at 4:18 pm |

Name oman

These Obama haters talking about riding their dogs on the back of their motorcycles or pickup trucks is not the as strapping a kennel with dog in it and driving 65 plus MPH down an interstate highway. No wonder the poor animal soiled itself. If Romney becomes president, look for a lot of senior citizens soiling themselves when Medicare is eliminated.

August 15, 2012 04:19 pm at 4:19 pm |

it's me Pat

a one-hit wonder 80's band wrote a song about something that happened over 30 years ago? do i have that right? oh man is this painful to hear, because i used to like them.

how relevant is a song like that anyway? i mean, really if your concern is the care and treatment of animals isn't it more relevant to write a song against eating dogs, like obama did?? people in other countries still do that you know! i don't think puttings dogs onto the roof of cars is a widespread problem these days.

it's very disingenuous of these guys to put out a song like that under the guise of caring about animals. talk about sellouts, they're using what little fame they have left to advance their ideology while pretending to help animals...

August 15, 2012 04:19 pm at 4:19 pm |

No-surprise

@Rudy NYC

Best to keep you and OMG-bama away from the dog tracks, kennels and dog pounds. And, if you like dog meat – then you will love Crow come November 7.

August 15, 2012 04:21 pm at 4:21 pm |

RudyG

Where's the jobs, bro? Where's the different tone in Washington, bro? Where is the recovery, bro? No offense, 'cause I like you, bro, but it's time for you to go back to community organizer, bro. And to think I voted for ya, bro!!

August 15, 2012 04:26 pm at 4:26 pm |

Sniffit

"Those polls mean nothing as you will soon find out!"

Yawn. The only thing that would make that true is if the GOP/Teatroll voter suppression efforts bear fruit, in which case it will show that "likely" voter ended up being too large of a category because it didn't factor in the reduction of that cohort by the voter ID suppression effort.

As for someone who thinks Dems need to grow a pair though, you certainly seem to like mine on your chin. The mere fact that I'm getting singled out tells me I'm under your skin for hitting the nail on the head.

August 15, 2012 04:26 pm at 4:26 pm |

Harald Schmidt

Mitt's final solution... Strap GRANDMA and GRANDPA on top of his station wagon, after arriving at the mountainous vacation spot, Paul Ryan will throw GRANDMA and GRANDPA over the cliff.

August 15, 2012 04:33 pm at 4:33 pm |

The Other Dale

What's amusing here is the Romney fans who are over-senstive about a band writing a humorous song about it that they must throw crybaby tantrums about it here in a blog, and yet they're the ones saying others should "grow a pair." On the contrary, the Republicans need to grow a spine. Let's start with Romney and Ryan first and then see it if can "trickle down from there."

August 15, 2012 04:47 pm at 4:47 pm |

Tracy

OBAMA ATE A DOG! How can he have the nerve to talk about what someone else did to a pooch when he freakin' ate one. He had dog on the roof of his mouth, which seems to be a lot worse than having one on the roof of your car. But, that's just me. Don't chain me up for my comments.

August 15, 2012 04:51 pm at 4:51 pm |

Debits-n-Credits

Dog on the roof of the car!

That reminds me of that Vacatioin movie, starring Chevy Chase, where they put the grandmother on the roof, after she passes away. Chevy says to his wife, it's not like it's going to rain.

Of course it rains buckets.

August 15, 2012 04:55 pm at 4:55 pm |

Sniffit

"Don't chain me up for my comments.'

Wouldn't even think of it. It's much more effective to encourage you to be ranting in a manner that shows Teatrolls just can't fathom the substantial difference between blaming a grown man for his actions and blaming a 6 year old boy for what his parents fed him.

August 15, 2012 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

Larry L

@Keeping It Real

Yet another statement by Obama that has nothing, zip, zero, nada, to do with issues that American's care about.
---------------------------------------------------
Let's talk issues... Deep recession and 8.5 million jobs lost BEFORE PResident Obama took office. Over 100 Republican filibusters in the Senate to obstruct all debate on initiatives. Nothing but political theater on abortion from the radicals in the House – plus 33 votes against the AHC law. Romney promises lower taxes for all, huge military spending, same health care provisions as the AHC law but w/o any way to pay, reduced deficit, cheap gas, and a new embassy for Israel. All of this with no specifics! How does that work?

He won't show us his tax returns but wants us to trust him! Really? Now those are "issues". Talk...

August 15, 2012 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

Larry L

Did the dog eat Romney's tax returns?

August 15, 2012 05:11 pm at 5:11 pm |

Jeff

Is obamas dog at the white house still alive or was it consumed

August 15, 2012 05:15 pm at 5:15 pm |

ProfEmeritus

If Obama can talk about Romney's dog on the roof, why can't people talk about Obama's pastor for years in Chicago? Rev. Wright preached hatred to the Obama's for years and they listened..

August 15, 2012 05:16 pm at 5:16 pm |

Ready

This would be newsworthy if anyone cared or listened to Devo anymore.... Now that they're part of the Obama smear machine I won't be listening. Devo shouldn't be limiting their audience, especially since they don't have any left.

August 15, 2012 05:17 pm at 5:17 pm |

Expensive

If you would have done your research you would know Obama was a child when he ate the "dog" meat and was doing as he was instructed by adults. Romney was an adult and knew exactly what he was doing. He is heartless, cruel and without concern of anyone or anything that stands in his way of getting what he wants. Go ahead and vote for the loser but Obama took on a losing situation. Nobody could have done any better.

August 15, 2012 05:25 pm at 5:25 pm |

John Massey

Coming from the guy who ate a dog. He's not even trying to hide the obvious fact that he has no record to run on. Especially considering he's trying to attack his opponent's dog...and horse. Pathetic.

August 15, 2012 06:06 pm at 6:06 pm |

GonzoinHouston

C'mon kids, it's a joke! The song is satire, nothing more. I hope nobody is going to base their vote on this incident. It may in some way have spoken to his character at the time, but his selection of Paul Ryan as his VP speaks volumes. Dogs on car roofs may disgust you, but the Ryan budget on Romney's desk in the Oval Office should truly terrify.

August 15, 2012 06:07 pm at 6:07 pm |

scott

Good for MIlt expose Obama for what he is, a lying cheating, socialist crook, that is racist

August 15, 2012 06:30 pm at 6:30 pm |

regina

It's a Barack eat dog world.

August 15, 2012 06:42 pm at 6:42 pm |

GI Joe

Hey – a lot of our service men eat dog meat in foreign countries. To some it is a delicacy, to others it was a necessity during war.

Find something that matters to the U.S.A. If Romney/Ryan are selected, you may end up eating dirt before it's over

August 15, 2012 06:44 pm at 6:44 pm |

Jerry

I am really tired of this childish nitpicking type of campaign and how the media loves to focus on this nonsense. Do you people really believe Obama and Romney are bad people because of one act. Take a look at the rest of their lives instead of focusing on one act. Do they keep their promises. What is their plan to get America back on course? What will they do to correct an education system that puts more focus on social engineering than teaching math and science?

August 15, 2012 08:56 pm at 8:56 pm |

Liz the First

This is a totally legitimate issue. it speaks to what kind of person RMoney is. you can tell a lot about people by the way they treat animals. and all this sniping about Obama eating dog when he was a kid is stupid, that was part of the native culture. just shows so many people are so ignorant and intolerant of anything different and unfamiliar. get over it! of course, if a republican ate a dog, it'd probably be perfectly ok because we all know it's ok when republicans do it, no matter what it is.

August 15, 2012 09:11 pm at 9:11 pm |

tcaros

That dog thing will never go away because it speaks MILES about Romney's character. He's the one who tied the dog to the roof which shows he doesn't give a crap about anyone's feelings including his own dog.